The Caribbean sounds like an easy choice for a family holiday. Sunshine, beautiful beaches, warm water and plenty to keep the kids busy. But should you hop between islands on a cruise or spend a week at a resort with your toes in the sand?
In This Guide
Both sound pretty tempting, although each experience can be surprisingly different, especially when you’re travelling with kids.
Do You Want to Explore or Take It Slow?
Probably one of the biggest perks of a Caribbean cruise is that you get to visit several islands without having to pack and unpack each time. You could be snorkelling in the Bahamas one day and be exploring the streets of San Juan a few days later.
The catch? You’re working around the ship’s schedule, so there’s only so much time to enjoy each stop.
A resort gives you more freedom to do things at your own pace. Spend the morning at the beach, book a local excursion, or let the kids enjoy the pool for the third day running.
Think about your family’s personalities, too. Would everyone love a change of scenery, or are your kids happiest when there’s no rush to go anywhere?
What Does a Holiday With Your Kids Actually Look Like?
A cruise ship packed with water slides, games rooms, live shows, and activities can be a dream come true for older kids and teens. There’s always so much going on that it’s very unlikely you’ll hear “I’m bored” complaints.
But if you’re travelling with babies or toddlers, a family-friendly resort might make life easier. Having your room nearby for afternoon naps or a quick change of clothes can make a big difference.
The good news is that both cruises and resorts usually have kids’ clubs, so you’ll get the chance to enjoy some downtime either way. Just check the age restrictions and supervision policies before you book.
What Will Your Trip Really Cost?
Nobody wants to come home from a holiday with a credit card full of unexpected charges. And while cruises and all-inclusive resorts can both seem like great deals, the advertised price doesn’t always tell the whole story.
With cruises, you’ll need to budget for extras like gratuities, speciality restaurants, Wi-Fi, drinks, and shore excursions. You’ll also possibly need to factor in flights, a hotel before departure, and whether your family can comfortably share one cabin. If you’d like to see how this works on a shorter sailing, my guide to everything you should know about a Halong Bay cruise breaks down what’s included and what costs extra.
All-inclusive resorts can make budgeting a little easier, but you’ll still need to check what’s actually covered. Some charge extra for premium dining, certain kids’ activities, airport transfers, and outings.
The trick is to compare what the entire trip will cost, instead of getting distracted by a tempting per-person rate.
How Many Logistics Are You Willing to Handle?
It’s worth thinking about how to get to your destination, especially when you’re juggling kids, luggage, and flight schedules.
With a resort, it’s usually a case of flying to your chosen Caribbean island, arranging an airport transfer, and settling in. Cruises can take a little more planning, since you need to reach the departure port and board the ship by a specific time. Miss that window, and your trip could get off to a bit of an expensive start.
Quick tip: If you’re flying in for one of the cruises from Miami, give yourself a full day on land first, since the port is under 10 miles from the airport. It’s the same advice I give for river cruises, too, and my guide to where to stay in Budapest before a Danube river cruise explains why arriving a night early makes such a difference.
What If Everyone Wants to Do Something Different?
Family holidays can get tricky when one child wants to swim, another wants to play games, and you and your partner would both like some peace and quiet. In these scenarios, this is where a cruise ship can really shine.
With so much available onboard and childcare options, you don’t have to plan separate outings. Everyone can enjoy their own activities before meeting up for dinner or a show.
Of course, large family resorts offer plenty of entertainment, too. But having so much variety in one place, with new destinations to explore along the way, gives cruises a particularly appealing edge.
So, Cruise or Resort?
If you’re happy spending a week on the same beach, a resort could be just the ticket. But if you’d love to explore a few Caribbean islands in one go, a cruise is hard to beat.
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